Flynn, Elizabeth Gurley, Papers

Finding Aid

IHRC

Immigration History Research Center, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota

Descriptive summary

Creator:

Flynn, Elizabeth Gurley.

Dates:

1922-1944

Abstract:

Papers (1922-1944) selected from the Elizabeth Gurley Flynn (1890-1944) collection, relate to Carlo Tresca (1879-1943), labor, and fascism. Included are correspondence and manuscript papers relating to her efforts to secure justice for labor leaders, anarchists, IWW members, and others deprived of rights during the red scare following World War II. Materials pertain to the First United Committee on Defense of Political Prisoners, the Workers' Defense Union, Harry Weinberger, Atty., the General Defense Committee, and others. Correspondents also pertains to efforts to prevent deportations, and letters from those detained at Ellis Island or in Federal prisons. Photographs.

Quantity:

1 microfilm reel.

Language:

In English and Italian.

Collection ID:

IHRC733

HISTORICAL SKETCH

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn (1890-1964) was born in Concord, New Hampshire, daughter of Irish immigrant revolutionaries. In 1906, she joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and was active in textile strikes in Lawrence, Massachusetts (1919), and Paterson, New Jersey (1913), the Minnesota Mesabi Range mining strike (1916), and the Passaic, New Jersey, strike of 1926. Gurley was a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 1920. In 1937, she joined the Communist Party, and was jailed 1955-1957 for advocating violent overthrow of the United States government. She died in Moscow. Carlo Tresca (1879-1943), a Socialist, was born in Salmona (L'Aquila) Italy. He was active in the socialist workers' movement in Italy and in 1904 came to the United States to avoid a prison sentence. Tresca was editor of Il Proletario, La Pleke, L'Avvenite, and Il Martello. He was an anti-Fascist, member of the Mazzini Society, and an anti-Communist. He was assassinated in New York City.

DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS

The Flynn, Elizabeth Gurley collection is available for public research.

OWNERSHIP & LITERARY RIGHTS

The Flynn, Elizabeth Gurley collection is the physical property of the Immigration History Reseach Center, University of Minnesota.

For further information regrading the copyright, please contact the IHRC.

CITE AS

The Flynn, Elizabeth Gurley Papers, Italian American Collection, Immigration History Research Center, University of Minnesota